A tribunal has fined billionaire landlord John Christodoulou (pictured) over a quarter of a million pounds for two unlicensed Hackney HMOs – Olympic House and Simpson House.

The case was brought to the first-tier tribunal by his tenants who had formed the campaign group Somerford Grove Renters (SGR). The group claimed that the lack of the required HMO licenses left them vulnerable to hazardous conditions, including fire risks due to inadequate safety measures.

The case is the culmination of a long-running dispute between the tenants and their landlord that began in 2020 when Christodoulou is said to have refused to give his tenants any rent relief during the height of the Covid crisis, telling them to: “Use money saved on lunches to pay their rent”.

Rogue landlord

Forty-six residents from 15 different flats across the two affected properties have now been awarded a Rent Repayment Order (RRO) totalling £263,555.68, with Judge Robert Latham saying: “The respondent can only be characterised as a rogue landlord.”

However, SGR is concerned that the fine is so large that Christodoulou, who is based in Monaco, may now be attempting to liquidate the offending company after transferring the ownership of the two properties to another company.

Even when we win in court, landlords like Christodoulou can game the system to avoid paying up.”

Tenants’ spokesperson, Marc Sutton, told the Guardian; “This appears to be a deliberate attempt to evade financial responsibility through corporate restructuring.

“These tactics highlight how wealthy landlords manipulate corporate structures to avoid accountability while tenants suffer the consequences.”

Osserman added: “Even when we win in court, landlords like Christodoulou can game the system to avoid paying up. The only way we can fight back is by organising and taking collective action.”